BusinessLive reports that the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) on Thursday downplayed Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s influence at the public broadcaster, saying his position as group executive of corporate affairs was equivalent to that of a "glorified public relations officer".

The High Court in Cape Town was hearing an application brought by the Democratic Alliance (DA) to have Motsoeneng removed from the SABC. He was recently reappointed to the position of group executive of corporate affairs, the post he held before becoming chief operating officer. The DA argued on Thursday that Motsoeneng was an "unethical, manipulative fraudster who has destroyed any semblance of good corporate governance at the SABC", and should therefore not hold any influential position. The SABC’s lawyer argued that it was not for the courts to dictate to the SABC whom it could employ. The case continues.